


In Sickness (and in Health)

by booksandtea15, shitty4eyes



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Light Angst, Like, Loving boyfriends, M/M, Sick Fic, soft, the most soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 09:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15627420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booksandtea15/pseuds/booksandtea15, https://archiveofourown.org/users/shitty4eyes/pseuds/shitty4eyes
Summary: Kihyun loves, loves, loves his boyfriend. His sick, slightly delusional (increasingly affectionate) boyfriend that doesn’t know what he’s saying, right?





	In Sickness (and in Health)

Kihyun unlocked the door with a heavy sigh, juggling the three bags hanging off his arms, scrunching his nose when he saw Changkyun’s shoes standing by the door, and no Changkyun there to help him.

“Honey, I’m home,” he called, rolling his eyes. “No one helps me in this fucking house.”

Kihyun heard a soft thud in the living room, sounding slightly like something heavy and Changkyun-like just hit the floor. What on earth.

“I’m comin’, I’m comin’,” Changkyun’s voice--more hoarse than usual--called back. A moment later, Changkyun stumbled into view, wrapped tightly in a blanket, head peeking out like a turtle, hoodie pulled over his decidedly messy hair.

Changkyun stuck out his hands for the bags (as much as he could, from what looked like his own personal portable cocoon), but Kihyun retracted his arms, frowning as he stepped out of his shoes.

“Changkyun? What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

Changkyun shook his head, and then coughed so loudly Kihyun winced. “I’m fi--” He coughed again, hiding his mouth behind one hand and waving Kihyun away with the other.

“Fine my ass,” Kihyun grumbled, making his way into the small kitchen and depositing the bags on the counter, before turning around to face Changkyun who had shuffled his way into the kitchen after Kihyun.

“That it is,” Changkyun said in a wheeze.

“Could you like, stop making jokes for five seconds? You look like you’re about five inches away from dying over here,” Kihyun fretted, placing his hand against Changkyun’s forehead and hissing at the heat that assaulted his palm.

“Five inches,” Changkyun giggled weakly, leaning slightly into Kihyun’s hand, eyes automatically closing at the touch. “You’re cold.”

“Yeah, and you’re burning up. Also, stop giggling. Five inches is not that funny.”

“Perfectly average, actually,” Changkyun mumbled, swaying forward slightly, causing Kihyun to lift his arms to hold Changkyun steady, the frown that had been near constant on his face all day deepening. “Okay, so I might be a bit sick. Just a tad.”

“A tad,” Kihyun murmured. “Why didn’t you call me? I could’ve gotten some medicine. As it is, I think we have like, three brufen left. Maybe.”

“My phone ran away,” Changkyun said, nuzzling lightly into Kihyun. Unbelievable. “Dunno where to. M’sorry.”

Kihyun sighed, holding Changkyun tightly for a second, hand coming up to stroke his head. It had been a long day, and hard day, and his boyfriend was an idiot who hadn’t thought to call him, but it was nice, anyway. To hold him.

“It’s fine. Well, it’s not. But nothing to be done now. I’m gonna make you some tea, and then you just sit still for a while while I dash down to the pharmacy. They should still be open.”

“My hero,” Changkyun breathed, sniffing miserably as Kihyun turned him around, guiding him to the couch, dragging the blanket hanging over the back over Changkyun too. It was obvious that this had been where Changkyun had been practically nesting the whole day; there was a half-eaten bowl of ramen on the table, a glass of water, a near-empty bottle of painkillers and a mug that had probably contained either hot chocolate or coffee. That, plus Changkyun’s favourite pillow and plushie was among the blankets on the couch.

Kihyun tutted, starting to gather up the various clutter, clearing the space. “Such a messy boy.”

Changkyun grabbed his plushie, nestling deeper into the blankets with a soft groan. “ _Five inches,_ Ki. Messiness should be excusable under these dire circumstances.”

Kihyun pursed his lips, biting back a smile. “Under the circumstances of five inches?”

“You know. Death. Five inches. Didn’t wanna tempt him.”

Kihyun nodded consolingly, pressing a kiss to Changkyun’s forehead, grinning as he wiggled around. “Of course, dear. Do you want honey tea or rooibos tea?”

“Redbush, please,” Changkyun said, smiling up at Kihyun from where he was peeking out of the covers.

“ _I told you to stop calling it that_.”

“It’s what it means,” Changkyun laughed, turning his head to cough into his pillow.

“I don’t care. It sounds ridiculous,” Kihyun huffed, making his way to the kitchen with full arms.

“Sounds like an S- _Tea_ -D.”

“ _Changkyun_.” Kihyun rolled his eyes, but since his back was turned towards Changkyun, he allowed himself a slight smile. This kid.

“Love you, too!” Changkyun called, and Kihyun winced as he coughed. It _sounded_ painful. The kind of cough that seemed to be tearing at your lungs, scraping against your throat. Ouch. Had Changkyun looked down the night before? Kihyun knew that sometimes flu could just show up unannounced, but jeez. Kihyun packed away the groceries as the kettle boiled, and by the time he brought Changkyun his tea, the younger had already managed to load Netflix.

“What’re you watching?”

“Still deciding,” Changkyun said, groaning as he pushes himself up to accept the tea. “Watched some people bake earlier. They weren’t great at it but I think that was the point.”

“Why though,” Kihyun wondered out loud, folding Changkyun’s hands around the tea as he checked his watch. He had about an hour before the pharmacy closed for the night. Better get going.

Changkyun shrugged a little and winced at the movement. “I think you’d enjoy it cos you’d--” Changkyun giggled. “Insist you’d do better.”

“Well, yeah. I’d follow the recipe correctly, for one.”

“See, you’re already having fun. Can we watch one when you get back? It takes like, zero brain power. It’s perfect.”

Kihyun hesitated. He’d been planning on starting on that one book on his bookshelf, the one that’s been sitting there since last year. It was what had kept him going through the day, if he was being quite honest.

“If you wanna read instead, that’s fine, just play with my hair while you do.”

Kihyun smiled softly. “Of course. I’m quickly going out for some medication. Do you have a sore throat?” Changkyun nodded. “Nasal drip?” Changkyun tilted his head, thinking, before shaking his head. “Is the coughing wet or dry?”

“Dry. Hurts a lot.”

“Okay, I know what to get. I’ll be back soon.”

Changkyun smiled softly. “Thank you. I love you.”

Kihyun could feel his cheeks heat up, even after all this time, even after the nth time hearing it. “Love you too.”

\---

Half an hour later, Kihyun pushed their door open again, the brown paper bag in his hand larger than he had planned it to be. He he known what he wanted, had just wanted to get three things but then, somehow, in his worry for Changkyun, and how convincing the sales-girl had been, Kihyun had ended up walking out with six products.

Well, if they didn’t use all of it now, they could use it next time.

“You still alive?” he called out, sighing as his feet slipped into his slippers. So comfy.

“They just--” Changkyun laughed, voice scratchy. “They just can’t _bake,_ Kihyun. Why are they here.”

Kihyun rolled his eyes. Yeah, he was fine.

“For people like you to watch them and laugh at them,” he drawled, grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen before making his way to the sitting room. Changkyun looked up as Kihyun walked in, smiling stupidly and cooing at the bag in his hand.

“You _got me stuff_.”

“Well, yeah. I wasn’t just gonna leave you to _die_.”

Changkyun cooed harder. “That’s so _nice_.”

Kihyun huffed out a laugh, urging Changkyun into a sitting position. “Wow, I’m not letting my boyfriend fucking _die_ from the flu. I’m a _saint_.”

“You’re like,” Changkyun gestured weakly. “Husband.”

Kihyun froze, halfway through unpacking the bag. “I… what?”

“You know,” Changkyun said, pawing at the paper bag with a low whine. “Tidy. Protective and caring. Sassy and gorgeous. You’re like prince charming but instead of a white horse it’s a sensible four door SUV.”

“Oh.” Kihyun swallowed. There was a hot flush at the back of his neck he didn’t quite know what to do with. “Okay. Here,” he held out the pills. “You drink these two, then dissolve this one, and then you take two teaspoons of this syrup.” Kihyun held up a bottle of what, the pharmacist had assured him, was the best cough medicine on the market.

Changkyun blinked with limited comprehension. His blinking took a lot longer than usual.

Kihyun sighed. Okay, slowly. “Okay, take these two pills.” He held out the pills, waited until Changkyun swallowed them obediently, and then dropped the tablet in the water, watching as it fizzed. “Now, drink this.”

He gave the glass to Changkyun, who drained it with a smack of his lips and a mumbled, “Tastes like oranges.”

“And then, finally,” Kihyun willed his hand not to shake as he poured syrup into the little teaspoon the pharmacy had given him. “Open up, and swallow.”

Changkyun swallowed, then grinned. “A different situation from when you usually say that, but okay.”

Kihyun coughed, and rolled his eyes, filling up the teaspoon and offering it to Changkyun again, wisely (in his opinion) not responding. Changkyun grimaced at the taste. “You taste better,” he mumbled.

Kihyun let his head fall forward as he shook it in laughter. “Goddammit, Changkyun.”

Changkyun chuckled weakly, eyes closing as he sways. “Can I lie down now.”

“Of course honey,” Kihyun murmured. “Let me just go take a shower then I’ll join you here with my book.”

“Okay,” Changkyun sighed out, nuzzling down into the blankets with his eyes closed. “Love you.”

“You’re very affectionate tonight,” Kihyun remarked, gathering up the medication to go put it in their first aid drawer.

“I could die any second, Ki,” Changkyun said into the pillows. “Can’t die for you if I just die from the flu.”

“You’re making _absolutely_ no sense,” Kihyun informed Changkyun, loosening the collar of his shirt.

“Love makes no sense.” Changkyun peeked up at him, smiling softly and waggling his eyebrows. “You look good.”

Kihyun rolled his eyes, popping a few buttons of his shirt open teasingly. “Thanks, you look awful.”

“Mmm,” Changkyun hummed appreciatively. “You need to work on your dirty talk.”

“You weren’t complaining on Sunday,” Kihyun remarked, moving away to the bathroom.

“You’re off your game.”

“How dare you,” Kihyun remarked, mildly. “Now, do try not to die while I take a shower. I’m gonna close the door cause it’s fucking _cold_ so I probably won’t be able to hear you if you call.”

“Noooo,” Changkyun groaned weakly.

“You’ll live.”

\---

“I lived.”

“Told you,” Kihyun chirped, grabbing another blanket and his book and squeezing in next to Changkyun. “Now, how bad are they fucking up the cooking?”

“This shark looks like Hyungwon,” Changkyun sniffled.

“That’s unfortunate,” Kihyun mumbled, attention entirely on his book, eyes rapt as the story began to unfold, one hand finding its way into Changkyun’s hair, scratching lightly. They’d been living together for a few months now, after dating for twice that, and Kihyun never took this casual domesticity for granted. He’d wanted it for far too long and enjoyed it far too much to let himself. So, he reveled in it, any and every chance he got, sinking back into it as if it was a warm, comfortable down blanket.

It took him a while to realise that Changkyun wasn’t looking at the television anymore. In Kihyun’s defence, it was a very interesting book, and the muted sounds of the baking show made for good background noise. He looked up after a particularly good paragraph, to see Changkyun staring at him, eyes shining, a soft smile on his face.

“What?” he asked, lifting a hand to wipe at his face self-consciously.

“You’re beautiful like this.”

Kihyun cleared his throat, cheeks reddening. “Like what?”

Changkyun shifted slightly, soft smile seemingly fixed on his face. “Like… this. You look like home.”

Kihyun smiled his secret smile. The one where his mouth corners tucked in, his lips pursing up, his head ducking down. He didn’t know what to do when Changkyun said stuff like that. Except kiss him. But he was sick now, so that wasn’t really an option.

“Like that, too,” Changkyun mumbled, eyes slightly unfocused.

Kihyun coughed lightly. “You’re so drugged up you don’t even know what you’re saying,” he mumbled, mostly to himself.

“S’not true,” Changkyun protested weakly. “I know serfectly well what I’m paying.”

Kihyun grinned, tapping Changkyun’s cheek. “Of course you do.”

“You do. I do,” Changkyun smiled through his mumbles. “We should get married.”

Kihyun sucked in a sharp breath, eyes flicking down to Changkyun, who was still looking at him so, _so_ softly. “Wow. You’re really out of it, aren’t you.”

Changkyun sticked out his bottom lip as far as it could go. “I’d be a good husband for you.”

Kihyun cleared his throat. The book in his hand was trembling slightly. “Shh, Changkyun. You don’t know what you’re saying. Come on, let’s get to bed. I’m very tired, and I’m sure you are too.”

“I’m not tired,” Changkyun said around a yawn, hiding his face in the bedding.

“Okay honey. But I am. Come cuddle me in bed, hm?”

“Bed,” Changkyun said. “Bed, okay, cuddles, I can do that.”

Kihyun smiled and all but carried Changkyun to bed, arranging himself around Changkyun as they fell into bed. “Goodnight Changkyun, I love you.”

Changkyun wiggled, turning himself around and looking at Kihyun in the dark. He nuzzled himself into Kihyun’s chest and tugged at his shirt.

“What is it?” Kihyun whispered.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“What? Of course not. I mean, you getting sick is not ideal, but that’s hardly your fault is it. Why?”

Changkyun sniffled. “I know I don’t always put my shoes away and I get needy and I make jokes when I shouldn’t, but I can be better, I’ll do better--”

Kihyun hoisted himself up on his elbow, looking down at Changkyun with a frown. “Changkyun, honey, where is this coming from? You’re not doing anything wrong. We all have our things. It’s fine. You’re fine. We’re fine. I love you.”

“Then why don’t you wanna marry me?” There was a sob in Changkyun’s voice, a soft, hiccupy thing.

Kihyun paused, conflicted. He knew Changkyun was high on medication, that he didn’t really mean anything he said right now, but his heart, his _heart_. “It’s not that I don’t want to, Changkyun, it’s just…” He trailed off. “What about we talk about this again when you’re healthy and not cruising on the high of five different medications. If you still want to, that is.”

“I want to,” Changkyun defended, before coughing, but he doesn’t let that stop him. “I want--I want you and I wanna spend my--” He coughed again, before falling down on the bed with a whine.

“Shh, Changkyun. We’ll talk again tomorrow, okay? Try to sleep now.”

Changkyun sighed softly, turning around and pulling Kihyun’s arms around him. “Okay. I love you, too, hyung.”

“Love you more,” Kihyun whispered into Changkyun’s hair, breathing deeply, before settling down to sleep.

\---

Kihyun stumbled around the kitchen the next morning, eyes still puffy from sleep, having extracted himself from Changkyun’s tentacle grip just five minutes before. Changkyun had called him crazy for it multiple times before, but Kihyun insisted that his stomach woke him up, and that once he was awake, he had to eat.

That morning, however, as he waited for his oats to cook, there was a crawling feeling at the back of his neck, and he shook his head quickly, trying to shake the thought out.

Changkyun had been strangely… adamant about the marriage thing the previous night. Kihyun knew, logically, that Changkyun had not been in his exact right mind, and that to have taken him by his word would have been cruel, but… somehow, refusing Changkyun had seemed crueler.

He had looked so sincere, so open and soft and _vulnerable_ and, and Kihyun had almost wanted to say yes.

But, of course, he had to be the logical one.

He was startled out of his train of thought as the microwave beeped, and he retrieved his bowl, taking it with him to the bedroom and squeezing in next to Changkyun again, who was barely awake but doing his best to sit up against the headboard.

“It’s fine, lay down,” Kihyun hummed. “You know how I get. I’m just hungry.”

Changkyun groaned and slid down the headboard. “Everything hurts. Who did I hurt in a previous life? What did I do to deserve this? Where’s my goddamn plushie?”

“Still on the couch. Pain pills are next to you though. I put a bottle of water there too.”

“God bless,” Changkyun sighed, taking his pills without sitting up.

‘You should really sit up while swallowing,” Kihyun remarked mildly. “You’ll choke.”

“I’m a rebel. And I’ve never choked in my life,” Changkyun winked.

Kihyun rolled his eyes. “I haven’t really tried yet, you know.”

Changkyun blinked, slowly turning to look at Kihyun. “Yet.”

Kihyun smiled widely. “Yup.” He popped the p, blinking innocently at Changkyun. “Get better soon, dear.”

Changkyun frowned and put the bottle of water down on the counter with a resounding thud. “Being sick is really impeding my quality of life.”

“Guess you have no choice but to drink all your medication and eat all the food and get better, huh?”

“This is, like,” Changkyun said, struggling to open the cough medicine bottle but succeeding with a little elbow grease and a dedicated frown. “Sexual extortion or something. Not fair.”

Kihyun shook his head. “Not extortion. Think of it as… motivation. When you get better, you get to ride me.”

Changkyun leveled a look at him, betrayed by the redness of his ears. He held up the bottle of cough syrup. “You want me to chug this? Is that what you want?”

Kihyun laughed, sticking his hand out for the medicine. “This is for your own safety. Come on, hand it over.”

Changkyun shook his head, a smile tugging at his mouth. “Marry me first.”

Kihyun’s heart lifted up into his throat, before plummeting down to his stomach when he saw the still glassy look in Changkyun’s eyes. He’s still sick. Wouldn’t do to get too excited. “Changkyun… You’re too sick for this. Come on, take your medicine.”

Changkyun’s features crumbled, and he handed over the cough syrup without further ado. “Okay. I’m gonna go shower.”

Kihyun’s heart ached, watching him leave, but he felt-- no, he _knew_ , he was doing the right thing. They could talk about this again, later. When Changkyun was healthy and not influenced by how crappy he might be feeling and how thankful he was that there was someone near him to take care of him.

That would be better, for both of them.

(Kihyun swallowed the lingering nuggets of doubt. He was _right_ , goddammit.)

\---

It was his day off, so Kihyun spent the day alternating between waiting on Changkyun (who was a very whiny invalid, who knew), and reading his book, determined to finish it. He went out briefly around noon when he saw they had run out of milk, but otherwise it was a very quiet, domestic day.

(Or, it would have been, were it not for the way Changkyun refused to look Kihyun in the eye, no matter how many times Kihyun asked him how he felt, or asked him if he wanted something.)

“Are you _sure_ you don’t need anything?” Kihyun asked, hovering uncertainly when Changkyun had declined his offer of watching that cooking show.

Changkyun laughed softly, with very little humour, as he shook his head, scrolling on his phone. “It’s fine, Ki. It’s just the flu.”

Kihyun frowned, mouth turning down unhappily. “Still, you seem too pale. Have you been drinking all your medicine? Eating all your food? Do you need another--”

“Kihyun.”

Kihyun cut himself off, hands tangled in front of his stomach.

“When I want something,” Changkyun said softly, not looking at him. “I usually don’t have a problem asking for it.”

Kihyun flinched, slightly, feeling the dismissal as if it was a slap. “Ah. Right. Sorry. I’ll…” He trailed off, swallowing past a tight throat. Of course Changkyun was tired of him. He was trying too hard, being too attentive. Of course Changkyun needed his own space.

Suddenly, unbidden, the thought that he had made a good choice making light of Changkyun;s offer came upon him, if this was how they reacted to prolonged exposure to each other. He cleared his throat again.

“I’ll just be in the room. Almost finished with my book, you know.” He tried for a smile.

“Wow,” Changkyun said, finally looking over at him with a little smile. “You’ve been trying to finish that for ages now. That’s awesome.”

Kihyun looked down at the carpet, his throat too tight and his eyes too itchy to look Changkyun in the eyes. “Yup. Well, okay. Ask me if-- yeah.”

Changkyun nodded, turning back to his phone, and Kihyun turned around, slowly curling up on their bed, staring at the same page for a good five minutes, before lowering the book and quietly letting the tears sitting heavy in his throat fall, keeping the soft sobs he can’t suppress muffled in a pillow.

There were still tears on his face when he heard Changkyun in the doorway.

“Do you mind if I lay here with you? I missed you.”

Kihyun sniffed hastily, scrubbing his eyes as inconspicuously as possible, moving up to make room for Changkyun.

“Hyung?”

“Hm?” Kihyun didn’t trust his voice yet, knowing it would too husky and raw to pretend he had been doing anything but crying.

Changkyun’s hand was warm--God, he was still sick, still almost burning hot to the touch--as he moved Kihyun’s bangs away from his face. “You… Oh, hyung, you’ve been crying?” The bed dipped as Changkyun sat down. “Was it the book? Should I go get some wine?”

Kihyun considered nodding for a moment, getting the attention off of himself, before turning to face Changkyun, pressing his face into Changkyun’s chest and shaking his head.

“Aw, baby, I’m so sorry,” Changkyun soothed, smoothing his hand down Kihyun’s hair and back.

Kihyun sniffed. “It--it wasn’t the book.”

Changkyun’s hand stilled on the small of Kihyun’s back. “I… Was it me?”

Kihyun shook his head vehemently, lifting his face to look at Changkyun with no doubt bloodshot eyes. “No, no. It’s just. I’m sorry. For being so clingy and oppressive all day. I--I didn’t mean to irritate you. I’m sorry if I did something wr-wrong,” Kihyun stuttered out, bottom lip trembling.

Changkyun frowned, eyes blinking in… confusion? “You didn’t irritate me, I--Ki, I came here because I missed you, I just thought that you didn’t want to--” Changkyun chewed at his bottom lip. “I love that you take care of me. It’s why I’ve been such an idiot.”

Kihyun sniffed again, looking up at Changkyun with a frown. “What do you mean?”

Changkyun shifted, breathing out unevenly and coughing lightly into the crook of his elbow. “Nothing. You didn’t do anything wrong, baby. I--” Changkyun hesitated. “I love you. Please don’t cry.”

“Then what _is it?_ ” Kihyun insisted, wiping away the last of his tears as his chest eased. Changkyun still looked so conflicted, eyebrows drawn up into a tight peak, and Kihyun stuck out a hand to smooth it down.

Changkyun’s features softened and he sighed. “What’s _what_ , Kihyun?”

“What’s _wrong?_ Something’s wrong, and I dunno what and--”

“And you said no, and that’s fine, I just--” Changkyun breathed out unevenly. “Need some time to--”

‘Wait, what?” Kihyun was frowning. He knew he was frowning. What in the ever loving _fuck_ was Changkyun talking about.

Changkyun scrunched up his eyes in the most pained expression Kihyun’s ever seen on him. “You were taking care of me and I was so _medicated_ I didn’t freaking care about how scared I was anymore and--and it’s okay that you don’t want to marry me, it’s not your fault--”

“ _Changkyun_.” Kihyun was gaping at Changkyun, mouth literally hanging open and--

“I know! I know, okay, and I don’t--I know I sound so desperate cos I keep _asking--_ ”

“Changkyun, no, please, listen to me. _Listen to me_.”

Changkyun stopped with his mouth still open, unshed tears shining in his eyes as he looked at Kihyun.

Kihyun heart was racing, his palms sweating, and through it all there was a rhythm thumping through his ears that sounded an awful lot like ‘ _he meant it’_.

“Changkyun I, I didn’t know, I mean, I didn’t mean to-- I just didn’t wanna take advantage of you. You were sick and you didn’t know what you were saying and--”

“Of course I meant it, Ki,” Changkyun mumbled, staring down at his hands.

“Oh.” Kihyun swallowed. “ _Oh_. You, you really meant it? You really wanna marry, marry _me?_ ”

Changkyun paused, before slowly schooching himself off the bed. He opened their closet and dug into the pocket of his favourite hoodie--a hoodie Kihyun never touched. It had a wolf head as the hood and Kihyun _hated_ it. That being said, Kihyun still washed it with the utmost care, but Changkyun hadn’t worn it in… God, ages.

Changkyun turned back to the bed, and hovered next to it, staring at whatever he had cupped in his hand.

“This was… supposed to be more romantic,” Changkyun laughed, voice shaking with nerves. “But you have this terrible habit of making me act like a whole fool for you.”

“I’m pretty sure you do that all yourself--”

“Fair point, but let me finish,” Changkyun laughed, and Kihyun grinned shakily, reaching out automatically until his hand found Changkyun’s. “So. Shit. I had to cancel our reservation cos I got sick, you know. Was going to wine and dine you like a proper adult, and then bring you home and--ask properly. Not blurt it out when I’m too medicated to care about much that isn’t just how much I love you. Which, as you know, a truly _stupid_ amount.”

Kihyun sniffed again, his eyes tearing up this time for a completely different reason, a warm, sunny feeling beginning to take shape in his chest.

Changkyun slowly sat down, smiling softly as he looked at Kihyun, taking both his hands and closing them over the little box and holding them there. "Do you--You probably don't remember, it wasn't exceedingly extraordinary or anything, but, about a week ago I came home to you. I'd had a horrible day, I could barely stand up, I was so, so tired, and I came home and I walked in and you were there and you smiled. This big, happy smile, and when I asked why you said 'cos you're here'. I lost what I had left of my heart in that moment, and I knew I didn't want it back, either."

Changkyun squeezed his hands and took another deep breath. “You are one of the most incorrigible, pig-headed people I've ever met. You nag me about eating and picking up my clothes and sometimes you baby me, and hell, sometimes I need it, and I always, always appreciate it. You work hard. You really do. You work hard and you seem to thrive on it, and you make me want to be better. You make me want to become more than I am, just so I can even consider the fact that I might deserve you."

“Changkyun…” Kihyun didn’t know what to say. He was choked up, reduced to staring at Changkyun with wide, shining eyes.

Changkyun smiled, lifting a hand to cup Kihyun’s cheek. “I’m sorry I spoiled it by spilling my guts when I was much, much sicker than I am now.”

“It’s been a _day_ \--”

“Shhh,” Changkyun said, gently placing his hand over Kihyun’s mouth and laughing softly before removing it again. “I’ve been trying to find the courage to ask you for so, so long. And then--well, your reaction is understandable _now_ but it felt a lot like a no. Like I was just being a silly kid and you were just trying to be nice. But it doesn’t matter because--” Changkyun lifted Kihyun’s hands, popping open the box in the palm of Kihyun’s hand. “I sincerely, whole-heartedly, many-an-adjective, want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Kihyun swallowed, blinking at Changkyun before looking down at the small, simple ring, elegant. “You know,” he cleared his throat, “you still haven’t actually asked me, you know.”

Changkyun grinned. “Yoo Kihyun.”

Kihyun nodded. “Good start, that is me.”

Changkyun laughed, shaking his head. “ _Yoo Kihyun_. Will you marry me?”

Kihyun pursed his lips, trying in vain to keep his smile contained. He plucked the ring out of the box, offering it to Changkyun and sticking out his left hand. “Will it look good, you think?”

“Only one way to tell,” Changkyun said, cheeks dimpling in a wide, joyous smile, taking the ring and Kihyun’s hand. He raised his eyebrows teasingly. “You still haven’t actually said yes, you know.”

Kihyun smiled and wiggled his fingers. “Put it on. I wanna see how it looks.”

Changkyun rolled his eyes fondly, sliding the ring onto Kihyun’s finger and staring at his hand with an incredulous sort of smile.

“It looks pretty,” Kihyun whispers, a small smile on his face.

“Yeah, yeah it does. Kihyun…” Changkyun hesitated. “What’s your answer?”

Kihyun smiled, giggling. “If you think, for even one second, that I’m saying goodbye to this ring, you have another thing coming. Also, I should probably have a fiance to go with the ring.” Kihyun grinned up at Changkyun. “I suppose you’ll do.”

Changkyun squeezed Kihyun’s hand, looking at him with a strange sort of intensity, even as he struggled to get the smile off his face. “Say the word ‘yes’. For me. I need to hear it.”

Kihyun leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss on Changkyun’s forehead. “Changkyun. Of course I’ll marry you. I love you. I love the way you try your best to make me laugh, even when I am literally glaring at you. I love when you’re clinging and holding me so tightly it feels like all the pieces of me is starting to squeeze back together. You make me wanna achieve stuff for _us_ , to do good, for _us_. Im Changkyun, you adorable idiot, I love you, I love you. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Changkyun grinned, so blindingly bright Kihyun felt the urge to shade his eyes. Changkyun nodded, “Cool, cool, that’s great, that’s--” Changkyun nodded some more, reaching up to rub at his eyes.

“You okay?” Kihyun asked softly, reaching up and behind Changkyun’s neck to pull him closer, their forehead leaning against each other. “You seem a bit…”

“I’m happy,” Changkyun said, voice shaking in either tears or laughter or, hell, both. “I love you so much, I can’t _believe_.”

Kihyun smiled, his own eyes beginning to blur as the reality of the situation began to set in. He was going to marry Changkyun, his boyfriend, who he loved more than he could express and who, who was beautiful and _perfect_ and-- “I’m happy too. I’m so happy.”

Changkyun rubbed at his eyes again. “And now I’ll always be happy.”

“That is. So cheesy. Oh my god,” Kihyun giggled. “Why are you sick right now? I want to kiss you.”

“It’s okay,” Changkyun grinned. “We only have the rest of our lives.”

Kihyun tipped Changkyun’s chin up, placing a soft kiss on his nose. “That we do.”

“If we get Shownu and Wonho to be our best men, it’ll look like we have bodyguards.”

“You’re a _genius_.”

**Author's Note:**

> SICK FICS WITH SOFT BOYFRIENDS ARE GREAT AND WE ALL DESERVE IT OKAY THANKS
> 
> We are on tumblr:  
> [booksandtea15](http://booksandtea15.tumblr.com/)  
> [shitty4eyes](http://shitty4eyes.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And twitter:  
> [booksandtea15](https://twitter.com/booksandtea15)  
> [shitty4eyes](https://twitter.com/shitty4eyes)


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